Global capture fisheries production had increased since 1950s thanks to the development of fishing gear after World War II. Since then, it has been stagnant for the last two decades. Capture fisheries production in the Republic of Korea has also decreased since 1995. Various factors may be responsible, including global climate change, overfishing and regional circumstances. We assume that the growing demand for aquaculture feed is also one of the reasons that have led to a drop in the domestic capture fisheries. A high reliance of feed on fish meal and fish oil obtained from capture fisheries might be one of the major obstacles for sustainable aquaculture feed production.

Finfish aquaculture in the Republic of Korea has made remarkable growth since the late 1980s, with success in the artificial reproduction of olive flounder. Two marine fish species, olive flounder and Korean rockfish, have played a major role in promoting the growth of domestic marine fish culture. In 2015, the production of olive flounder and Korean rockfish was recorded at 45,759 tonnes and 18,774 tonnes, respectively. These two marine fish made up over 60% of total finfish production. Sales of the two fish reached US$ 600 million which accounted for 77% out of total marine fish sales in the same period. The demand for aquaculture feed has been on a continuous rise during the last two decades.

Since 2010, domestic finfish production has slightly fluctuated at around 100,000 tonnes. The proportion of finfish production is roughly 2:8 between inland fish and marine fish. Inland fish are cultured by compounded feed. On the contrary, marine fish culture relies on farm-made feed which are raw fish-based frozen pellets that are directly produced from frozen raw fish such as horse mackerel, chub mackerel, herring and gizzard shad. In 2015, farm-made feed production was 473,084 tonnes, which accounted for 77% out of total aquaculture feed production, while the production of compounded commercial feed reached only 141,828 tonnes. The use of compounded feed accounted for only 23% out of total aquaculture feed production. In particular, the two important fish species, olive flounder and Koran rockfish, are also cultured mainly by farm-made feed. The production of farm-made feed for flounder was 219,891 tonnes, while compounded feed for the species was 21,149 tonnes which accounted for only 10% of total aquaculture feed used in the same period. This tells us that Korea’s finfish production has given too much importance on marine fish culture that depends on farm-made feed.

We assume that farm-made feed is one of the major causes that have decreased domestic coastal fisheries production which were recorded as roughly 930,000 tonnes in 2016. It was estimated that we used a significant amount of the production as feed resources for farm-made feed production. These farm-made feeds have caused environmental pollution nearby fish farms, natural resources exploitation and a rise in labour and equipment cost. In addition, the Control of Livestock and Fish Feed Act does not regulate them for periodical inspection. The Aquafeed Research Center of the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) also analyses feed composition and hazardous chemicals in randomly selected commercial feed, but not in farm-made feed.

For the sustainable growth of domestic aquaculture, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) has developed an action plan to promote responsible production and the use of feed and feed ingredients since 2008, with a view to completely switching feed from farm-made feed to compounded feed across the industry. The action plan includes 1) monetary support to farmers who completely switch feed from farm-made feed to compounded feed through preparatory period, 2) an education program and seminar on “the Status of Domestic Aquaculture and Its Sustainable Growth”, 3) preparation to enact the Aquaculture Industry Development Act including an article that prohibits the use of farm-made feed in fish culture.

Thanks to all these efforts, compounded feed production has slightly increased from 106,515 to 148,316 tonnes during the last five years. Nevertheless, most marine fish farmers still prefer farm-made feed to compounded feed. This is because the fish fed with farm-made feed commonly show better growth performance and market qualities compared to those fed with compounded feed. In addition, the cost of farm-made feed is still cheaper than that of compounded feed. When fish farmers select feed type, they put immediate gains before responsible production that helps us protect our nature and society.

In the Republic of Korea, most feed ingredients are imported. The amount of imported fish meal rose from 36,177 tonnes in 2011 to 48,507 in 2015. However, overall fish meal prices have been on the rise in accordance with the increase of the fish meal unit price as time goes on. In addition, the domestic fish meal production has slightly declined in the same time period. Fish meal commonly forms more than 50% of the diet for olive flounder and Korean rockfish. This is because the compounded feed must compete with farm-made feed over the growth performance and the quality of farmed fish. Thus, it is common that aquafeed companies increase the inclusion level of fish meal in the diets, and that is why the compounded feed incurs cost. With that in mind, we need R&D to develop fish meal substitutes to reduce the feed cost.

To secure the sustainable growth of domestic aquaculture, MOF needs to press on with policy enforcement. Additional regulations that require mandatory analysis of farm-made feed in terms of safety management may also help us to take one step further in this endeavor. We also need R&D to reduce the dietary inclusion level of fish meal and fish oil to provide low-priced compounded feed to farmers in the near future. Unlike our expectation, there are not many ingredients available that can replace fish meal in the Republic of Korea. R&D in this area may help us to increase the efficiency of dietary utilisation of conventional feed ingredients that are alternatives of fish meal. Processing and hydrolysing techniques may further improve a digestibility and absorption rate of conventional feed ingredients.

In summary, marine fish culture has played an important role in the growth of Korea’s finfish aquaculture industry. Olive flounder and Korean rockfish make up over 60% out of total finfish production. However, marine fish culture heavily relies on farm-made feed that is a primary culprit of environmental pollution, natural resources exploitation, a rise in labor and equipment cost and challenges in the safety management of farmed fish. Although the Korean government has made various attempts to promote sustainable aquaculture, most fish farmers still prefer the raw fish-based frozen pellets to compounded feed due to the economic benefit of the farm-made feed. To secure the sustainable growth of domestic aquaculture and feed production, the Korean government needs to press on with (1) policy enforcement and input efforts to (2) research and development to provide a low-priced feed.